Sixteen finalists have been chosen from the 400 journalists who entered the Guardian newspaper’s Development Journalism Competition.

Two of these finalists will now get the chance to visit Camfed’s work in Zambia and Tanzania. Their names will be announced on August 1st, and their articles will appear in the Guardian in November 2008.

Camfed is one of eight charities collaborating with the Guardian in this ground-breaking competition, which challenges amateur and freelance journalists to look behind the headlines and investigate why 2.7 billion people around the world are still living in poverty. (more…)

by Vicky Anning, Writer-in-Residence

A team of 16 runners braved wind and rain to take part in the British 10K London Run on Sunday, July 6 for Camfed. So far the intrepid team has raised more than £11,000 for girls in Africa, which is enough to buy 1,466 pairs of school shoes.

A pair of sturdy school shoes costs just £7.50, but this is beyond the reach of many families in the rural areas of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana and Tanzania where Camfed works. This can effectively deny girls the chance of an education – because shoes are a requirement for children to go to school. (more…)

Camfed’s Executive Director Ann Cotton is featured in The Tactics of Hope, a new book that highlights the innovative work being done by the world’s top social entrepreneurs to alleviate poverty, promote social justice, and restore the health of the planet. Written by former U.S. diplomat and international business professor Wilford Welch, The Tactics of Hope describes how Camfed has helped to break the cycle of poverty for thousands of girls and young women in Africa through education.

The book aims to inspire budding social entrepreneurs by sharing concrete solutions for action – and demonstrating, through the stories of 27 people who had the courage and passion to act on their dreams, that everyone has the power to change the world.

In his foreword to the book, former Archbishop Desmond Tutu writes:

“The potential  . . . of individuals throughout the world to bring about positive change is enormous, and never before have we lived in an era so ripe with opportunity to make a difference.”

To order The Tactics of Hope, go to http://www.tacticsofhope.org/

Read an excerpt from the introduction: http://www.tacticsofhope.org/intro_toc#INTRODUCTION

Learn more about social entrepreneurship:

• Visit the Skoll Foundation website and find out more about the organization that awarded Ann Cotton the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship in 2005
• Read an interview with Ann Cotton about social entrepreneurship in the Guardian.